The Farmer and His Four Sons

"United we stand, divided we fall"

Once upon a time, in a small village surrounded by green fields and tall trees, there lived an old farmer named Ramu. He was a kind and hardworking man who spent his life growing crops and taking care of animals. Ramu had four sons: Raju, Babu, Sonu, and Monu.

Each son was strong and healthy, but they had one big problem — they always **fought with each other**.

They argued over everything:

Who would milk the cows.

Who would water the crops.

Who would get the biggest share of food.

Even who would sleep in which bed!

No matter how hard Ramu tried, he could not stop them from quarreling.

One day, while working in the field, Ramu felt very tired. His back ached, and his hands were shaky. He sat under a tree and thought, *“I am getting old. One day, I may not be here. If my sons continue to fight, they will break apart and lose everything.”*

That evening, Ramu called his four sons to sit beside him.

“My dear sons,” he said gently, “I want to teach you something very important. But you must listen carefully.”

The boys looked at each other. They were curious.

Ramu picked up **four sticks** lying nearby. He gave one stick to each son and said, “Now, try to break your stick.”

Each son easily snapped his stick in half.

“See?” Ramu said. “Alone, each stick is easy to break.”

Then, he took **four more sticks**, tied them tightly together with a rope, and gave the bundle to Raju, the eldest.

“Now try to break all these sticks together,” Ramu said.

Raju tried with all his strength, but the sticks didn’t break. Babu tried next, then Sonu, and even Monu. But no one could break the bundle.

“Father, it’s too strong!” said Babu, wiping his forehead.

Ramu nodded. “Yes, because the sticks are **together**. This is the power of unity.”

He looked at his sons kindly. “If you stay united, no one can harm you. You will be strong and happy. But if you fight and stand alone, you will be like those single sticks — easy to break.”

The four sons grew quiet. They had never thought this way before.

From that day on, something changed.

The next morning, when it was time to milk the cows, Monu said, “I’ll help Raju today.”

And when it was time to collect firewood, Babu said, “Let’s do it together, Sonu.”

Day by day, they began to **share their work**, **listen to each other**, and **solve problems as a team**. There were still some small arguments — as brothers often have — but they remembered their father’s words and made peace quickly.

One day, a greedy landlord from the nearby town came to see Ramu. He had heard the farmer was getting old and thought he could trick the sons into selling the land.

“If I divide them, I can win,” the landlord thought.

He went to Raju and said, “Your brothers don’t care about you. You should sell me your share.”

But Raju smiled and replied, “We work together now. We don’t divide our land.”

He tried again with Babu, then Sonu, then Monu. But each son gave the same answer.

“Together we are strong,” Monu said firmly.

The landlord went away, surprised and angry. His plan had failed.

Ramu watched from a distance, and his heart filled with pride. His sons had truly learned the value of unity.

Years passed. The farm became better than ever. The fields were green, the animals were healthy, and there was laughter in the house.

One evening, as the sun set in golden light, the four sons sat around their father, who was now very old.

“Father,” Raju said, “you were right. When we work together, everything becomes easier.”

“Yes,” said Sonu. “We don’t waste time fighting anymore. And we are happier.”

Ramu smiled. “I’m proud of you all. Always remember, strength is not just in muscles. It is in love, trust, and working as one.”

The four sons nodded, their hearts full of love and respect for their wise father.

From that day onward, the story of the farmer and his four sons was told again and again in the village — a simple lesson that reminded everyone:

Moral of the Story

"Working together brings strength. Fighting alone brings failure."

"United we stand, divided we fall."